Self-opening pocket-knife.



No. 690,080.- v Patented Apr. 22, |902.-

SELF OPENING PCKET KNIFE.

(Application filed Nov; 1 2, .1901.)

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UNiTnD STATES PAT-ENT OFFICE HENRY TREAS, OIF DELIGHT, ARKANSAS..

SELF-OPENING POCKET-KNIFE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part 0f Letters Patent N0. 698,080, dated April 22, 1902.

Application led November l2, 1901,. Serial No. 82,045. (No modela) To tif/ZZ whom it may con/ecrit;

Beit known that I, HENRY TREAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delight, in the county of Pike and State of Arkansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Opening Pocket-Knives; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and

' and releasing-slide. Y

of the knife, showing the r'elative position ofl exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to self-opening pocketknives.

The object of the invention is to provide a self-opening pocket-knife of improved construction which will be reliable in action and in which the blades will be automatically locked both in open and closed positions, and thereby guard against accidental'opening or closing.

A further object is to provide a self-opening knife of novel construction wherein the operative parts are protected from dust and injury and having the opening buttons or devices in the most convenient position for manipulation.

Having these objects in view, the invention consists in' certain improved features and novel combinations of parts set forth in detail hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the knife shown as closed. Fig. 2 is a side view with one of the handle pieces or plates removed andshowing the operating devices. Fig. 3 isalongitudinal section showing the blades in open and partially open positions. of the spring locking and unlocking catches Fig. 5 is a crosssection the partsfwhen the knife is closed. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the pivoted shank of the kinfe-blade, the actuating-spring being shown as broken off.

The. `handle-pieces l of the knife are hollowed out at 2 on their interior faces to accommodate the operating devices. The metalplate lining is shown at 3, and et designates the back-spring,-which is chambered or hol- IlA .or open position.

Fig. 4. is a detail perspective of onel lowed out to accommodate the actuatingspring, and 5 represents a spring-metal -plate covering the chambers of the back-spring and extending under the shank or heel of the blades. pivoted at 7 and provided with two diametrically-disposed apertures 8 and 9, arranged to lie in the longitudinal axis of the knife when the blade is open or closed, and a groove 10,'Fig. 6, is formed in the edge of the heel,

as indicated.

The blades are shown at 6, being The numerals 1l designate the actuating l tion of the springs, a groove g is formed. in`

the ends of the back-spring. These springs constantly tend to throw the blades open into the position shown at the left of Fig. 3. For

each knife-blade there is provided a spring i locking-catch 13, which is secured at 14 to the lining 3 and provided on its free end with a locking-pin 15, engaging through an aperture in the plate 3 and to snap into either aperture S or 9, according as the blade is open or closed, and thus lock it either in closed To withdraw these spring locking-catches from engagement with apertures in the heel of the knife-blades, I provide vertically-acting unlocking-slides 16, normally held raised by a spring 17, fastened intermediateits ends at 18 to the lining-plates 3 and their 'outer ends secured to the unlocking-slides; The unlocking-'slides are guided by a vertical slot-and-pin connection 19 and tween the lining and the locking-catch 13 when the slide is pushed downwardly by the finger or thumb of the user, a linger-piece being provided for that purpose, which lies over the edge of the handle.

When a knife-blade is closed, the pin 15 engages in aperture 9, being held therein by the resiliency of the spring locking f catch 13, thereby securing the blade in that position. On depressing the unlocking-slide, as shown in Fig. 3, the Wedge-block enters between the spring 18 and the lining and forces the pin 15 out of engagement With the blade, whereupon the spring 1l retracts and throws the blade open, to be again locked by the entry of pin l5 in aperture S. To close the blade, depress the slide IG and push the blade into the handle and again release the slide.

It will be observed that the springs 1l are housed and protected, and the operating devices are incased, so as to be shielded from injury, and the blades are securely locked in both open and closed positions, making the knife safe, andthe slides are placed in the most convenient position for manipulation, thus making the knife sate, etlioient, and durable, and convenient for use.

The use of the invention is not limited to pocket-knives, as it can be readily applied to toothpicks, ear-spoons, hunting-knives, and in a variety of other connections.

It will be perceived that each blade is actuated independently of the other, so that the invention is equally applicable to knives having but one blade or to knives having two blades pivotally connected to the handle at one end, these changes being so apparent as to fall Within the skill and knowledge of any Workman in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is l. In a self-opening knife, the combination with a handle, and a back-spring having a chamber therein, of a covering for said chainber, a blade pivoted to the handle, a retractile spring located in the chamber ol' the back rib and anchored thereto and having the other end connected to the heel of the blade, and means for locking the blade.

2. In a self-opening knife, the combination with a handle, of a blade pivoted thereto, a spring locking-catch adapted to engage and lock the blade, and a spring-actuated unlocking-Wedge adapted to engage against the locking-catch and withdraw it from engagement with the blade.

3. In a self-opening knife, the combination with a handle, of a blade pivoted thereto, a spring locking-'catch adapted to engage and lock the blade, and a spring-actuated unlocking-slide having a slot and Wedge, and a pin in the slot connected to the handle, said slide being disposed at an angle to the length of the locking-catch and the Wedge being adapted to Wipe against the locking-catch and Withdraw it from engagement with the blade.

4. In a self-opening knife, the combination with a handle, of a springactuated blade pivoted thereto, provided'with apertures in its heel arranged at opposite radial points, a spring carrying a pin on its free end to enA gage in said apertures and lock the blade in either closed or open positions, and a slidable Wedge to engage behind said spring to Withdraw the pin from engagement.

5. A self-opening knife comprising a handle, a blade pivoted therein having its heel provided with a locking-aperture, a backspring, a retractile spring having one end secured to the back-spring and the other end secured to the back ot the blade-heel, a spring carrying a pin on its free end to engage in the aperture in the heel of the blade and lock the blade closed, and a slide to engage the spring and withdraw the pin, whereby the letractile spring exerts its force and opens the blade.

In testimony whereot` I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY TREAS.

lVitnesses:

Il. L. KINZY, P. E. Tassen. 

